ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - The Elmhurst College wrestling team totaled 101 points to win its second consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship. Elmhurst sent nine wrestlers to the championship round with five Bluejays bringing home individual titles.

Augustana College took second place with 77 points while Wheaton College (41 points) edged North Central College (38 points) for third.

Mark Johnson (125), Dalton Bullard (133), Jake Denhof (141), Joe Rau (184), and Brian Brooks (285) all scored individual titles for the Bluejays. Elmhurst head coach Steve Marianetti was named the CCIW's Coach of the Year for the second straight year and for the fourth time in his career.

After earning a bye in the semifinals, Johnson captured the 125-pound title with a 12-1 major decision over Wheaton's Tom Foy in the finals.

Bullard won the 133-pound title with a 10-1 major decision over Augustana's Seven Poffenberger. Bullard scored a near fall at the end of the second round and added a near fall midway through the third round to earn the victory. In the semifinals, Bullard pinned Wheaton's Caleb Cardenas in 4:43.

After receiving a bye in the semifinals at 141 pounds, Denhof captured the second CCIW Championship of his career by defeating Augustana's Greg Gogonas by an 8-0 major decision. Denhof scored a takedown in all three rounds en route to the shutout victory.

Rau won the third consecutive CCIW title of his career by defeating Augustana's Seth Wahn in the finals. After earning a bye in the semifinals, Rau dominated Wahn and pinned the Vikings' wrestler in 4:04. 

Brooks scored the first CCIW championship of his career by wnning the title at 285 pounds. Brooks downed Wheaton's Klye Patton 8-2 in the semifinals. In the championship match, Brooks recorded a quick take down and then pinned Augustana's John Schraidt in 40 seconds.

Four Bluejays earned second place finishes in their weight classes. Ryan Earley settled for second place at 149 pounds. Earley blanked Wheaton's Matt Cordell 12-0 in the semifinals, before dropping a close 7-5 decision to Alberto Quiros of Augustana in the championship match. Earley had a one-point lead and riding time advantage midway through the third period, but Quiros escaped and scored a quick takedown to grab control of the match and erase Earley's riding-time advantage. Earley nearly had a reversal at the end of the match, but ran out of time. 

Mike Grice took home second place at 157 pounds. In the semifinals, Grice pinned Augustana's David Tessiatore in 2:10 to advance to the finals. Grice dropped a 5-0 decision to North Central's Joby Bodi in the championship match.  At 174 pounds, Danny Balderas settled for second place. Balderas breezed into the finals by pinning Wheaton's Cameron Fox in the semifinals in just 28 seconds. Balderas fell 8-1 in the championship match to Augustana's Jordan Richardson. Richardson scored a late take down near the end of the first and second periods and added near fall points at the end of the second period to earn the win. Danny Vargas settled for second place at 197 pounds. Vargas earned a bye in the semifinals as a the top-seed in the championship match. Vargas suffered an injury midway through the second period and was forced to injury default.

Mike Ryan brought home third place at 165 pounds. After falling 7-2 to Augustana's Matt Burns in the semifinals, Ryan bounced back in the consolation match to shutout Wheaton's Peter Huang 5-0.

Elmhurst wrestles at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional at Augsburg College on February 25.